Dispensing container construction



March 9, 1943. w. F. STRAUB DIS PENSING CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION FiledApril 19, 1940 WaZferfl'Jfraub Patented Mar. 9, 1943 UNITED STATSDISPENSING CONTAINER CONSTRUGTION Walter F. Straub, Chicago, IlL,assignor to W; F.

Straub & Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationApril 19, 1940, Serial No. 330,574

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in dispensingcontainers and more particularly to a container of this type adapted foruse with syrupy liquids such as honey and the like. i a

A general object of the invention is to provide a container provided atthe top with novel closure and dispensing means which is of simple andinexpensive construction, is easy to operate, and is efiicient andreliable in use.

A more particular object is to provide a container having a novelfriction cap or cover and sealing liner construction.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a container having thedispensing means depressed within the top. which is constructed to berelatively level and free of protruding parts so that one containermaybe stacked on another.

Another object is to provide a container in which the top structure issuch that the contents can be selectively discharged in eithersubstantially unrestricted flow or as a small relatively restricted,easily controlled stream.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a container having atop construction arranged for controlled dispensing of the containercontents in such a manner that only a bare minimum of the contents canremain on the exterior of the top and such remainder is confined againstspreading over other parts of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved friction topclosure for containers and a novel liner construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingdescription and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmental, exploded perspective view of a containerembodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the container.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary axial sectional view through the containershowing the same in pouring position.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a preformed sealing liner for use with thecontainer.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions, I have shown in the drawing and will hereindescribe in detail a preferred embodiment, but itand scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

For ordinary culinary and table uses the relatively thick, viscousliquids such as honey or syrup present a problem in dispensing due to atendency for substantial amounts thereof to adhere to and spread orsmear over the outside of the container after pouring. -It is thereforedesirable to provide means for controlling discharge of the viscousmaterial in a manner to avoid as much as possible any amount of thematerial remaining upon the outside of the container. Any material thatdoes perchance remain should be directed back into the container or intoa portion of the top where it will not be objectionable. The means forthis purpose must be inexpensive in order to be commercially practical.In addition such means preferably should not interfere with properstacking of the containers one upon the other either for shipment or forstorage or display purposes.

According to the present invention all of these features may be embodiedin a container formed of sheet metal or other suitable material, the'body of which has a large opening at the top closed by a friction coveror cap between which and the seating portion of the container is interaposed a liner forming a tight leak-proof seal.

For pouring the contents from'the large top' opening of the containerthe friction cap and liner may be removed. On the other hand, forpouring only a relatively small controlled stream of material, theclosure cap may have a smaller dispensing aperture for pouring a. smallcontrolled stream, a cover for this aperture aiding in controlling thestream. The liner avoids accidental leakage through the dispensingaperture prior to opening the container for pouring. As a further aid incontrolling the stream discharged through the dispensing aperture, aspout is formed upon the closure cap. To enable stacking of onecontainer upon the other, the dispensing aperture and its cover arelocated in a depressed portion of the closure cap, so as to avoidinterfering projections above the general fiat plane of the cap. Thepouring spout is also con structed to conform generallyrto the top planeof the cap for stacking purposes.

In the exemplary form of the invention shown in the drawing, thecontainer includes a body H) which has a top opening I I, in the presentinstance defined by a top in the form of a rim member I2 secured in anypreferred manner to the adjacent edge of the container body and including a downwardly or substantially axially inwardly extending annularflange l3. The opening may be of any preferred outline, being shownherein as of round form. Material may be poured from the containerthrough the opening H, and by preference the rim I2 is formed on aninward, herein substantially frusto-conical, slant to assist incontrolling the flow and also to assure return toward the interior ofthe container of the contents material which may remain on the rim afterpouring. This avoids running down the outside of the container of suchremaining contents material. The container may be formed of any materialsuitable for the purpose to which it is to be put such as sheet metaland may be of any preferred shape but is shown herein as of conventionalround can form.

The rim I2 and the flange I13 provide a seat for a dished friction coveror cap generally designated I4, which provides a closure for the openingII. This cap includes a body or base wall I circumscribed by anangularly disposed wall flange It at the outer edge of which is formed alaterally outwardly extendin per pher flange substantially ofiset fromthe base wall It. At its" outer edge the flange I? has a reenforcingbead I8 which in the present instance is formed as a turned under narrowretrovert flange. In assembly the flange wall It and the seating flangel3 cooperate in opposed telescopic relation for holding the cap in placeand the cap flange overlies the rim l2. The cap flange ll preferably isformed to slant inwardly parallel to the rim l2 and thus fits relativelyclosely thereto. Through this arrangement the friction cap I4 may bepried off if desired to pour the contents from the container aided bythe slanting rim l2. When the cap is in closing relation upon thecontainer, one container may be readily stacked upon the other.

In order to enable dispensing of relatively small, controlled amounts ofmaterial from the container, the base wall l5 of the friction cap isprovided with a dispensing aperture Id of relatively small dischargearea and located adjacent to the wall flange |6. The pouring edge of thedispensing aperture I9 is preferably formed on a radius parallel withthe wall flange l5 and somewhat spaced therefrom by a narrow sill 20.The

remaining outline of the dispensing aperture I9 may be of substantiallyrectangular proportions.

Material discharging from the dispensing aperture |9 passes over a spoutmember 2| which may be formed'in alinement with the aperture as anintegral lateral projection from the cap flange This spout 2| holds thestream away i from the adjacent underlying portions of the container asseen in Fig. 3, and when the container is returned to non-pouringcondition any slight amount of material adhering to the spout isprevented from running down the outside wall of the container. Since thebase of the spout 2| is actually the adjacent portion of the cap flangeI1 and the projecting portion of the spout is beyond the circumferenceof the flange the bottom of another container may in stacking be freelyseated coaxially upon the top surface of this flange. To assure returntoward the dispensing opening IQ of any material remaining upon thespout 2| it may be formed to slant inwardly. Upon righting the containerafter pouring, the remaining material is thus caused to run back downthe spout '2I and the slanting spout-base portion ofthe cap flange lltoward the dispensing opening l9. As a result, the exterior of thecontainer is kept free and clean of the material,

A closure for the dispensing opening H! is provided in the presentinstance by an elongated generally flat slide or cover member 22 mountedupon the base wall l5 for movement into and out of closing relation tothe aperture. The cover 22 may be formed from sheet metal and tofacilitate manipulation is transversely folded outwardly at its centerto form a handle 23 which is manually engageable to facilitate movementof the closure. To avoid interference with stacking of one containerupon the other, the handle 23 is dimensioned to lie wholly within thedepressed portion of the cap l4 so as not to project out of the generaltop or stacking plane of the cap.

The length of the sliding cover 22 is so proportioned to the diameter ofthe cap base wall l5 that in its fully open position the rear end of thecover engages and is stopped by the cap wall flange I5 rearwardly of thedispensing aperture I5, while in its fully closed position the limit ofmovement is defined by engagement of the forward edgeof the cover withthe base of the cap wall flange l6 forwardly of the aperture andinwardly of the spout 2| (see full and broken line positions,respectively, of Figs. 2 and 3). The

width of the cover 22 is preferably such that in the closed position itextends protectively marginally all around the dispensing aperture H! atleast to the same extent as thewidth ofthe sill I 23 which it overlies.Moreover, the forward edge of the cover 22 may be of arcuate shapeformed on the same radius as the pouring edge of the dispensing aperturei9. Through this arrangement, the cover 22-enables cutting off prior torighting the .container of the stream of material pouring from thedispensing aperture I9, the cover being moved from its open position bymanipulation of the handle 23 to carry the forward edge thereof throughthe stream, gradually attenuating the latter until the cover reaches thesill 26. At this point the stream is stopped and practically all of thedischarged material will have left the container cap by the time thecontainer is again righted.

The opening and closing sliding movements of the cover '22 are guided bymeans such as pairs of lugs or tongues 26 and 25 struck out from thebase wall l5 of the cap and respectively overlying the outer sidemarginal portions. of the front and rear sections of the handle.

Leakage through the openings in the base wall it left by striking out ofthe tongues 24 and 25, or through the dispensing aperture l9 duringhandling or transportation, is prevented by a liner 26 which extendsacross the base wall and completely seals it from the inside.

For convenience in assembly, the liner l9 may be preformed as best seenin Figs. 1 and 4 to receive the friction cap M in snug nested relationand to fit telescopically between the cap and the seating rim structurel2. Accordingly, the periphery of the liner may be offset to provide anangular upwardly extending flange 21 which in assembly fits frictionallybetween the flange l6 of the cap and the seating rim flange l3 of thecontainer. An outer flange 23 extends laterally from the outer edge ofthe flange 21 and is received betwen the rim l2 and the cap flange IT.The outside diameter of the flange 28 is preferably such that it willlie within the reenforcing bead is so that the latter protectivelycloses the gap formed between the rim l2 and the cap flange resultingfrom interposition of the liner flange. As a result of the preformationof the r liner I9, it can be assembled first either with the frictioncap l4 or with the seating rim l2 of the container, whereafter byrelative assembly' to undue tension or strain such as might cause a flatliner to rupture in assembly. Complete assurance istherefore had thatthe container is thoroughly sealed.

The liner 26 may be formed from any material suitable for the purposesuch as metal foil or treated fibrous material characterized byseverability so that when the user wishes to dispense material throughthe aperture is an opening can be made through the liner by removing, asby cutting out with a sharp knife or the like, the portion thereof whichis exposed through the aperture upon sliding the cover 22 open. Tofacilitate removal of such portion of the liner, a line of weakeningsuch as scoring 29 (Fig. 4) may be formed in the liner to register withat least the pouring edge of the dispensing aperture l9. This line ofscoring 29 may be of an arcuate length to permit considerable angulartolerance in assembly of the liner and the friction cap, and as shownmay extend approximately half way around the body of the liner so thatregistration of the scoring and the pouring edge of the aperture can beeffected anywhere within an arcuate range of 180. Thereby more thanample leeway is afforded for relative angular shifting of the liner andcap during assembly. An important advantage of the scoring 29 resides inthe ease with which severance of the aperture-sealing portion of theliner may be started even with a blunt instrument and without danger ofpulling the adjacent portion, of the liner flanges 2'1? and 28 fromsealing relation between the friction cap and the cap-seat rim of thecontainer.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present inventionaffords an improved dispensing container of thoroughly efficient andreliable form which requires but few and relatively simple parts adaptedto be made inexpensively with available forming machinery. This permitsmanufacture of the container and closure at low cost.

For handling or shipment prior to opening the container for dispensingpurposes, it is thoroughly sealed against any escape of the contents.Then by prying off the friction cap, the contents can be dischargeddirectly through the large top opening of the container, or by opening aport through the sealing liner the material may be discharged in acontrolled stream through the dispensing aperture in the friction cap.In either event, any material remaining after pouring and righting ofthe container is prevented from running down the sides of the containerbut is directed back toward the opening from which it has been poured.Further avoidance of the disagreeable conditions attendant upon runningor spreading of material over the outside of the container is attainedby use of the convenient slide cover in cutting off the streamdischarging through the dispensing aperture in the cap before returningthe container to non-pouring condition. The pouring spout on the closurecap also substantially aids in controlling the cilitates stacking of onecontainer upon the other.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a container construction of the characterdescribed, a container having a top rim defining an opening, a dishedcap to fit within said opening and having a laterally extendingperipheral flange, a preformed dished liner member interfitting withsaid cap and engaging frictionally between the cap and said rim, alaterally extending peripheral flange on said liner member underlyingsaid peripheral cap flange but being somewhat narrower, and areenforcing bead formed around the outer edge of said peripheral capflange and protectively closing the gap resulting from interposition ofthe liner flange between'the cap flange and said rim.

2. A container construction of the character described comprising, incombination, a body having an upwardly facing top rim defining anopening, a friction cap having a generally axially extending peripheralwall flange fitting within said opening and a flange extending laterallyfrom said wall flange overlying said rim, said cap being removable topour material from the container directly through said top opening, anda dispensing aperture in said cap, said rim and said laterally extendingflange slanting inwardly so that material remaining either on said rimafter pouring through said top opening or remaining upon said laterallyextending flange after pouring through said dispensing aperture will bedirected inwardly and prevented from running down the outside of thecontainer body.

3. In combination in a dispensing container 7 construction, a frictioncap having an end wall,

stream of material discharging through the dispensing aperture.Moreover, the novel construction of the closure cap with respect to thedispensing aperture cover and the pouring spout faa generally axiallyextending peripheral flange on said end wall formedon a radius andadapted to engage frictionally at its outer face with the rim of anassociated container, and a lateral flange extending outwardly from theend of said periph-.

eral flange and slanting toward said end wall, said end wall having adispensing aperture adja cent to-said peripheral flange in such relationthat the peripheral flange and said lateral flange together form a spoutstructure for the aperture for controlling a stream of materialdischarging through the aperture and for returning toward the aperturesuch material as may remain on the spout structure after pouring.

4. In combination in a dispensing container construction, a friction caphaving an end wall, a generally axially extending peripheral flange onsaid end wall formed on a radius and adapted to engage frictionally atits outer face with the rim of an associated container, a lateral flangeextending outwardly from the end of said peripheral flange and slantingtoward said end wall, said end wall having a dispensing apertureadjacent to said peripheral flange in such relation that the peripheralflange and said lateral flange together form a spout structure for theaperture for controlling a stream of material discharging through theaperture and for returning toward the aperture such material as mayremain on the spout structure after pouring, and an inwardly slantingspout extension on said lateral flange in alinement with said aperturearranged to render the spout structure more effective.

5. A container construction adapted for dispensing viscous materialscomprising, in combination, a container body having a top rim definingan opening, a friction cap having an end wall 7 adapted to fit inclosing relation within said opening, a generally axially extendingperipheral flange on said end wall adapted to engage frictionally withsaid rim to hold the cap in the closing condition, said end wall havinga dispensing aperture adjacent to said peripheral flange, a lateralflange extending outwardly from the upper edge of said peripheral flangeand overlying said rim, the portions of said peripheral flange and saidlateral flange adjacent to and in alinement with said dispensingaperture cooperating to form a spout structure for controlling a streamof material discharging through the aperture and for returning to theaperture material remaining after pouring, and a spout member formed inalinement with said aperture as an integral lateral projection from saidlateral flange, said spout member extending beyond theperiphery of thecontainer body to prevent running down of material along the outside ofthe container.

6. In a container construction of the character described, a body havinga side wall structure and an upwardly facing inwardly directed topflange on said side wall structure defining an annular top opening, afriction closure cap fitting in said opening and having a dispensingaperture adjacent to its periphery, a lateral flange on said capcovering said top flange, and a lip integral with said lateral flangeprojecting out beyond the side wall of the body in alinement with saidaperture and serving as a spout member.

7. In a container construction of the character described, a body havinga side wall structure and an upwardly facing inwardly directed topflange on said side wall structure defining an annular top opening, afriction closure cap fitting in said opening and having a dispensingaperture adjacent to its periphery, a lateral flange on said capcovering said top flange, and a lip integral with said lateral flangeprojecting out beyond the side wall of the body in alinement with saidaperture and serving as a spout member, said lateral flange and said lipslanting inwardly to return toward said opening material remainingthereon when the container is righted after pouring.

WALTER F. STRAUB.

